A data collection device, such as a digital camera, is capable of recording images onto a digital storage medium. Typically, a user of a digital camera will record multiple images on the storage medium. The recorded images may be viewed by using the digital camera's viewfinder, or may be viewed using a computer, such as a personal computer. If a computer is used to view the images, the digital camera may be connected directly to the computer using a RS-232 or USB connection. Alternatively, the digital storage medium containing the digital representations of the recorded images may be removed from the digital camera and inserted into an input/output (“I/O”) device capable of reading the contents of the medium and communicating such contents to the computer. Once the digital representations of the recorded images are communicated to the computer, the images are viewable and printable using software programs known to those skilled in the art. Notably, the advantage of using a digital camera to record images is the camera's ability to allow the user to view recorded images without the need to process exposed film, as is necessary with traditional cameras.
Digital cameras are typically capable of maintaining a representation of time using a built-in real time clock. In addition to recording a digital representation of the image, digital cameras also record the digital camera's representation of the time when the image is recorded. More specifically, the digital camera records the representation of the time at the time when the image is recorded to the storage medium. The recording time may be delayed from the time the image was actually taken, i.e., the time the user initiates recording of the image such as, for example, pressing the shutter release button. This can occur because of processing delays associated with formatting the image for recording on the digital storage medium.
Most digital cameras create PC-compatible file systems and have built in real time clocks, and usually store the image acquisition time as a standard attribute of the PC file, and as metadata in standard image file tags. The accuracy of the digital camera's representation of time will vary depending first on how accurately it is initially set, and second on the free running precision of the time base (oscillator).
Global positioning system (“GPS”) receivers are portable electronic devices that are capable of providing and/or displaying the longitude and latitude position data of the GPS receiver as well as the precise world standard date and time. As such, a GPS receiver may be used to track the geographic location of the receiver. In addition, typical GPS receivers also have memory means for recording position and time data at periodic intervals (referred to as a “GPS log”). For example, a GPS receiver known under the brand name Garmin GPS III+ is capable of storing 1900 GPS log points at a default rate of 5 seconds per GPS epoch, which is a single representation of current location and world standard time. This translates to about 2.5 hours of continuous operation. Alternatively, to obtain longer track log time intervals, the time resolution may be reduced on the GPS receiver (e.g., recording log points at a rate of 1 minute per GPS epoch) or the GPS receiver only turned on when an image is recorded. In this regard, a person may use the GPS log to track their geographic location over a period of time, for example, a 10-hour hike in the mountains.
The recorded images may be organized visually. For example, recorded images from a place or an event may be organized together either physically, e.g., maintaining hard copies of the images together, or virtually, e.g., maintaining digitally stored images together under a file directory. Alternatively, recorded images may be organized by the time the images were recorded. For example, the images may be viewed in earliest to latest time order by organizing digital representations of recorded images in accordance with the time the image was recorded, and displaying the images accordingly. Alternatively, images may be organized and displayed in accordance with a predetermined time period, for example images recorded between 2:00 PM January 7 and 5 PM February 13. Further, recorded images may be organized by the geographic location that the images were recorded.
A problem with one or more of the above systems is the extensive nature in which the process is labor-intensive and, consequently, prone to errors. For example, in order to organize images by geography, an individual must personally review each image and make a best-guess estimate of the location of the image, based solely on their personal review and knowledge. There is, therefore, a need for the ability to correlate digitally recorded images with digitally formatted information representing the geographic location of the image recorded, accurately, reliably and without incurring substantial costs.